


In Character

by Ack_Emma



Category: DCU, DCU (Comics), Good Omens (TV)
Genre: Batman!David Tennant, Batman: The Killing Joke References, Brief Mention of Violence, Costume Parties & Masquerades, DC Comics References, Ineffable DC archenemies, Joker!Michael Sheen, M/M, New 52, POV Anathema Device (Good Omens), Silly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:34:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25601407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ack_Emma/pseuds/Ack_Emma
Summary: Where my brain went when I saw Michael Sheen made up as the Joker and David Tennant in a Batman costume.
Relationships: Anathema Device & Adam Young, Aziraphale & Crowley & Anathema Device & Newton Pulsifer & Sergeant Shadwell & Madame Tracy, Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	In Character

**Author's Note:**

  * For [laurashapiro](https://archiveofourown.org/users/laurashapiro/gifts).



Perhaps it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that Anathema was a DC superhero fan. Specifically, she was very into the Bat Family. The dark aesthetic kind of suited her arcane, witchy ways, and the characters in that fictitious family were always making decisions, taking quick action, and shaping the future according to their vision and beliefs. Things Anathema hadn’t had the freedom to do much before Armageddon’t.

So for her birthday the friends got together for a dress-up party and drew names to see which character they’d be. 

The ladies drew superheroes that were quite apropos for their real selves. Smart, perceptive, and dedicated, Anathema was a marvelous Batgirl. She also looked formidable and competent in her form-fitting, armoured suit.

Madame Tracy drew Nightwing/Dick Grayson. She had certainly evolved during the short time the friends had known her and her former professional activities had cultivated more than a few acrobatic skills. Sweet, calm, and well-meaning, she also enjoyed quite the popularity with the opposite sex.

The suitability of the character assignments fell down a little with the man-shaped beings at the party.

Newt was an awkward, anemic-looking superhero-best-friend Superman. Shadwell had nothing in common with the even-keeled and dignified butler Alfred. Adam lacked Robin/Damian Wayne’s hostility and brattiness. 

Aziraphale was the most unthreatening and cherubic Joker ever, and Crowley, damn his heart, wasn’t pulling off a suave Bruce Wayne nor an enigmatic, deadly Batman. The way he was mooning over Aziraphale was also not very in-character.

Still, the friends loved Anathema and they tried.

Newt’s boy scout tendencies expressed themselves and he rushed around the cottage, a generous, solicitous host. Perhaps to help his protege, Shadwell served all the drinks with nary a complaint.

Crowley showed off his proficiency with technology and gadgets by helpfully glaring at people’s phones until their O/S software updates didn’t delete apps their owners didn’t want to delete.

Aziraphale managed to mildly horrify all the mortals by recounting his near-sociopathic ploys to deter would-be customers from buying his books. And he did creep all the guests out when Crowley prompted him to behave “convincingly human because the real humans around them were suspicious”. (It wasn’t any less off-putting for Anathema, seeing it a second time.)

Adam weaved among the adults, fitting very well into the grown up conversations with wide-ranging, precocious interest (and not a little of the extra knowledge granted exclusively to children who were formerly the Antichrist). 

As the evening wore on and the level of the punch bowl sank lower, though, things started to fall apart.

Shadwell became argumentative and domineering, resulting in Newt cowering further and further into a corner.

Adam became tired and needy, whining that he missed his mother and glomming onto the nearest available adult.

The friends began to break off into distant, uncomfortable groups. It was becoming rather un-fun and they hadn’t even cut the cake yet.

The last straw was when Anathema discovered the Joker and Batman necking in the coat closet, Aziraphale’s white make up smeared all over Crowley’s cowl and Crowley’s grin now wider and redder than his archenemy’s.

“I’m ready to get out of here,” Anathema whispered to Madame Tracy.

“Dear, you live here.”

Defeated, Batgirl folded like she’d taken a bullet to the spine. Nightwing kissed her forehead and squeezed her hand encouragingly before drifting off. To distract herself, Anathema dug the point of a prop Batarang into her leg and hoped desperately one of the presents was a grapple gun so she could make a quick escape out a window.

**Author's Note:**

> For laurashapiro, [ who literally asked for this](https://laurashapiro-noreally.tumblr.com/post/625002356092895232/fuckyeahgoodomens-bonus-the-best-batman-for). (If you hadn't asked I probably wouldn't have written this, so thanks/I'm sorry! I'm a fan of your work. <3 )
> 
> When I saw the pictures of Michael Sheen as Joker and David Tennant as Batman my immediate thought was, "all that make up is gonna get messy when they make out".
> 
> My DC universe knowledge is far from encyclopedic and is very heavily based on The New 52 comics so apologies for any inaccuracies or errors on my part.


End file.
